RIP, Ultimate Warrior

Iconic pro wrestler dead at 54

ames Brian Hellwig, better known as “The Ultimate Warrior”
collapsed yesterday evening while walking towards his car with his wife
in Scottsdale, Ariz. He was pronounced dead at an area hospital shortly
thereafter.

Warrior (he legally changed his name to the mononym in 1993) was a 2-time World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Champion. After
pinning Hulk Hogan in WrestleMania VI’s main event, he became the only
wrestler in history to hold both the WWF’s Intercontinental and
Championship titles.

Upon hearing the news, his legendary rival tweeted the message “RIP WARRIOR. only love.”

Warrior, who lived in Santa Fe, retired from pro wrestling in
1998. During his 20-plus year career, no one could stage an entrance
quite like him.

Though their relationship can be described as
rocky at best, the World Wrestling Entertainment’s website says “The
Ultimate Warrior may be the most enigmatic man to ever hold the WWE
Championship.”

Enigmatic indeed, Warrior was an avid writer, blogger and public
speaker who didn’t mince words when expressing his point of view on
topics like politics, sexuality and beyond. “Queering doesn’t make the
world work,” he once famously stated.

In Santa Fe, he found a natural setting to nurture his artistic side.

“In 2001, after years of vacationing there, my family and I moved
to Santa Fe, New Mexico,” he stated on warriorgallery.com. “The
historical Canyon Road area is lined up and down with galleries housed
in small, old, historical adobe buildings; each exuding an incredible,
palpable creative energy. It's one of the things I've always loved most
about Santa Fe.”

"25 Years Beyond," oil/knife painting by Warrior.

He then shared how his love for art was cemented after taking a
3-hour class at Artisan. Warrior, a Georgia O'Keeffe fan, recalled instant enthusiasm by his
instructor, who used his piece as an example for other students.

“The
unexpected encouragement was something in itself,” he wrote. “Here, a
professional art instructor, charging $300 per attendee, an accomplished
artist in her own right, getting excited about what I'd done. It was a
landmark moment in my art career.”

Just three days before his passing, Warrior was inducted into the
WWE Hall of Fame. The following day, he appeared in WrestleMania XXX
and just one day before his death, Warrior made his first Raw appearance in 18 years.

“As I thought about what I was gonna say this evening, it’s been
hard for me to find the words,” Warrior told the packed house,
noticeably out of breath.

Out of character and dressed in a three-piece suit, he then
pulled out a mask reminiscent of this iconic 1980’s make-up, let his
alter ego take center stage and drove the crowd wild.

What followed can best be described a self-eulogy.

"WWE talent becomes a legend on their own,” he ominously roared. “Every
man’s heart one day beats its final beat, his lungs breathe their final
breath, and if what that man did in his life makes the blood pulse
through the body of others—makes them believe deeper in something larger
than life, than his essence, his spirit will be immortalized by the
storytellers, by the loyalty, by the memory of those who honor him and
make…the man live forever.”

He then thanked his fans, calling them “the legend-makers of Ultimate Warrior…the spirit of Ultimate Warrior will run forever!”